Tag Archives: graduation

Today was the Dallas White Rock Centennial Half Marathon. It was my third half, and although I had prepared for it since my last half in February, I was really nervous. I had never seen the course, and honestly was just nervous that I wouldn’t meet my goal.

I stayed at my friend CJ’s house Friday night, and OH by the way, Ceej ran her very first half marathon today and did SO well! She ran 6 miles for the first time less than two months ago. How amazing is that?! Anyway, both of us had really long weeks so we picked up some gels at academy, went home, ate dinner, set out all our stuff for the big day, watched a little Say Yes to the Dress (nerd alert…) and then hit the hay by ohh 9:15. It was awesome.

Both of us got up around 5:15 because we are serious morning people. And I had some serious nerves… we had breakfast (apple and pb + 2 cups of coffee for me, like every other morning of my life) and then geared up with the above. And below is how we looked right before we headed out.

CJ and Me

Then we drove to the race. We had no trouble parking like we thought we may have, so we ended up being there about an hour early. It was windy and chilly, maybe because the start (and whole race) is around a huge, beautiful lake in Dallas. The temperature was perfect to start, though. Cool but warm enough for just shorts and a tank.

Since we got there so early, we got to hit up the porta-potties and see all these really intense runners that made us feel weird/unprepared. We kept asking each other, what is that tape for in the designs on peoples’ legs? What are those compression socks for — shin splints, soreness or just cause they look cool? There’s a warm-up? But we’re about to run 13 miles, I’m not warming up.

At about 7:45 we headed for the start line. Before we knew it, we were off. I started off at about a 7:58 pace and kept that up for pretty much the whole race, give or take a mile when the wind was blowing right into my face.

The course was awesome. The first three miles we did through a neighborhood and looped back to the lake, which takes up about the other 10 miles. There was a bridge a little after mile six, and I seriously thought I was going crazy because the cement felt spongy. I felt like I was running on something soft, but it was cement on a bridge. At that point, I really thought I was about to die or pass out or something because I’d never had that sensation before, but my body felt okay and after checking my heartbeat with my hand, it seemed fine, so I kept going. **After talking to some other runners after the race, they felt the same way on the bridge so I’m not that crazy…**

After hitting mile 8, I had the same thoughts I always do: I still have 5 more? But then I’d think, no 4.8, 4.6, and then I always feel better.

I had never taken a gel before because I really worry about stomach issues during a race. (my last half I had to stop at a porta-potty around mile 6…. yeah, no fun) but at mile 11 my legs were really tired, especially with the headwind. I spotted a water station ahead, took my gel with some water, and felt pretty good at the finish! I will definitely try that again for my next race and maybe experiment with them during training.

Annnnyway, I ended up somehow winning 1st place in my age group (it was a really small race). That was awesome. My time was 1:46:02. My Garmin said the same time but 13.29 miles…. regardless, I PRed, beat my goal and got a trophy!

Philippians 4:13 — what gets me through every race

That’s my “how did I get this trophy, I’m flattered but confused” face, after accepting my unexpected trophy.

That’s me and Ceej after the race! We had fun.

Her cousin Jason placed 1st in his age group and 6th overall, which was pretty awesome! And CJ ran her first half marathon after a little over 6 weeks of training! So amazing. She’s off to Guatemala in a month for a 6-week mission trip so she wanted to do this before she left. So cool.

Anyway, I’m off to continue this project that I’m missing my sister’s birthday party for. Yes, I realize it’s Saturday night. I promise I’m not totally lame, I just really need to graduate from college. It’s due on Monday. Tuesday a paper is due. Two weeks from now I’ll be graduating from UT and onto the next thing. Anyone out there have a job for me??

I have a problem. It’s a guilt trip trip. Yes, I meant to type that twice. I am the only sister and sibling to one very lucky girl, MStew. She is turning 24 on Friday, and her friends are throwing her a bar golf party on Saturday night. If you don’t know what that is, you should try it out if you can stomach 9 drinks at a sub-3 hour pace. By that I mean don’t try this unless you’re a 250 pound frat dude. I RSVPed yes, and thought it would be a blast (because I’ve done it before and apparently am a 250 pound frat dude).

That's us with the drinks in hand. Sister, like sister. She threw a surprise party for my 21st birthday. Even more of a reason why I feel guilty and horrible and like I wish I could be at her party or throw her a cool party like she did!

One problem. I live in Austin, the party’s in Houston, I’m running a half-marathon in Dallas on Saturday morning. If you’re not from the gigantic state of Texas, that means A LOT of driving. Austin to Dallas = 3 hours. Dallas to Houston = 4 hours. Houston to Austin = 3 hours. Oh, and I haven’t finished either of my final projects due next Monday and Tuesday in order to graduate from college.

Hmm…. not finishing those projects and staying in college for another semester, yeah that doesn’t sound so bad actually….

So after excitedly announcing my heroic plans to my sister — to come to Houston from my half-marathon in Dallas, then doing a marathon drink-fest that night, then celebrating mother’s day with my beautiful mother, then coming back to Austin that same day to do WORK to graduate — I g-chatted her today telling her I can’t make it. I feel like I put too many eggs in one basket. Or my eyes were bigger than my stomach.. or whatever phrase would work with the situation I’m in.

Us last year at a wedding... she's the best!

She said she’s disappointed and I shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up in the first place. I feel horrible. So I e-mailed her back that I would come because I feel really guilty for being a bad sister. So it’s a guilt trip trip that I’m taking. But my mom keeps telling me not to do it.

What would you do in this situation? Would you make the trip for your awesome, wonderful, super-fun sister’s birthday or would you try to make it up to her later?

Now for the more fun part of my post, I have a half-marathon to run on Saturday! I am so pumped. Since my last marathon I’ve kept up my long runs each week (for the most part) and have been keeping my mileage up. I feel really prepared for this one.

I am a to-do list person; I always want to know what I have ahead of me and like to set goals (even though many of my to do lists are just made for pure enjoyment and tossed aside after I make them).

This will be my 3rd half marathon. My first half I ran in 1:52:52, the second I ran in 1:55ish, and the third I want to run in under 1:50, or at least beat 1:52:52.

A few weeks ago I bought the greatest invention ever made for runners:

My Garmin!

I’m debating whether I should use it on Saturday.

Do you think wearing a Garmin in races makes you faster, anxious or just plain frustrated?
Now I’m off to finish my paper, hopefully.